Index device



Patente@ Jan. 11', 1927.

ing a Vmodified form.

l UNITED STATES JAMES A. S-PBENGER, OF NORTH TONWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSGNOB, BY*

' ASSIGNMENTS,.T,O RAND KABDEX BUREAU, INC., OF TONAWANDA, NEW 'YO-BK,`

A cQnroRA'rroN or DELAWARE.

INDEX DnvIcn.

This invention relates to card indexes and particularly'tocard indexes of the overlapping card, visible index type, and consists in improvements hereinafter described and The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings inl which: a

Fig. 1 is a front view of an index unit embodying the invention; y j

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line Fig. 3 is a section similar to 2 show- The invention isparticularly intended for, use .in indexeshavmg a series of cards or index unitsmounted in an upright frame in overlapped spaced relation with their free margins exposed to display indexing or In thedrawin'gsvthe kc ard fpap'er -or cardboard is attached to the rail B infany usual' orpreferred manner.A The identifying inscriptions; and is adaptedv either tof indexes wherein the overlapped, spaced-'units are yholders for removable insertlcards on which the entries are made, or

'to indexes whereinthe overlapped spacedl unitsfthemselves lconstitute Vthe leaves onA whichtheentries are made. V

or ysheet A. of

ends of thel rail B project beyond the sides of the 'card A- and engage the flanges at the sides of anindex frame 1n the usual manner.

It 'will beunderstood that a series of similar elements. .are .,mounted on .the frame one vabovewanother in overlapped relation, and 35.'

'are-heldinspaced'.v relatlon by the rails- B with their' free margins exposed.'

'.Enclosi'ng .the lower margin of the card A and secured thereto by staples 1 is a sheath .C 'forminga pocket with the card A yto receive ythe usualinsertfcard (not shown) on which the entries are made. The sheath Ciis-'preferablymade from a strip ofv transparent sheet celluloid which is folded to.y form-.ay front wallFf'and a rear wall R, theV free margin of the front wall F being folded inwardly to provide a lip L for facilitating the insertion of' an insert-card. When inserted into the pocket formed by the sheath C and card A, the upper corners of the insert-card may be inserted into the slits O,

ltwo pairs being shown to accommodate 'dif-V ferent sized hards.

articular cards maybe In order that conspicu'usly marA so that they may v:signals may depend .uon their co quickly and easily referred td or -that attention may -be drawn to them, I provide a removable and adjustable signal S which is preferably made of a lresillent sheet material, such as celluloid and may be of any desired color or .other differentiating visual appearance so as to be clearly distinguished from the background of the index itself, and from other signals sholild different signals for different purposes be used in the same index. The purposes and uses ofthe signals are of almost unlimited variety depending upon the nature of the entries made on the index and the uses to which the index is put; and the information conve ed b the i or, s ape, ,osition or other Vdi erentiating features.

or example, they may be used according to some arbitrarily adopted systems of color,

position, shape o-r other diiierentiat-ion to indicate overdue 0r bad accounts, dateson which some action is required in respect tol the recorded subject-matter', different vclasses,

or sub-divisions of the contents of the index,

etc. If these conditions are constantly changing in an index it is important not only that the si als be made readily attachable, remova le and adjustable but also that they should be secured .against accidental dislodgement if they are to be relied` 'interfere vwith the removal of an insert-card.

By .virtue of attachment describedl the signalis heldfsecurely to thesheathC andcannot becomeaccidentally detached, or ldislodged when the index is being manipulated, but at the same time ispermitted to -be adjustedlengthwise of the sheath or to be detached by, unfolding the tongues 1 and 2 ois away from thewalls of the sheath. Another outstanding advantage. of the above described signal is thatit may be manipulated along the sheath without lifting the preceding index unit, and furthermore lthe face of the insert-card is.' not covered while adjust ing the signal as vhas been the case ,with many signals heretofore in use.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, a signal S' is provided with tongues 1a and 2# enclosing thefront wall F and rear wall R respectively,\the tongue la however being foldthe invention in certain physical embodiments it is to be understood that modificafhaving front and rear walls, a card extend-- edinwardly--to provide a lip 3 which ex-V tends substantially parallel with the fronttions of the structure shown'may be made by those skilled in this art without departing from my invention as expressed in the following claims. f

1. An index device comprising a sheath, a card extending into the sheath, and a signal folded over the outside of said sheath.

2. An index device comprising a sheath ing into the sheath, and a signal folded over the outside of the sheath having lips enclosing the free mar ins of said Walls.

3. An index d having front and rear walls, a card extending into the sheath and a removable and adjustable signal folded over the outside of the sheath having lips enclosing the freemargins of said walls.

4. A11' index device comprising a sheath havingfront and rear walls, a card extending into the sheath, and a removable and adjustable signal of transparent sheet material folded over the outside of the sheath having lips enclosing the free margins of said walls. 5. A n index device comprising a card, 'a

sheath of transparent sheet material enclos-` ing a margin'of said'card, and a signal slidable on said card' consisting of a strip of sheet materialv enclosing said sheath, the end portions of said strip being folded over the free margins of said sheath.

6- An index device comprising ,a card, a

sheath of transparentsheet celluloid enclosevice comprising a sheath.

ing a margin of said card, and a'signal slidable on sald sheathsaid signal being in interlocking en agementiwith said 'sheath- 4to prevent accidgental disengagement .of said signal transversely from said sheath.

7. An index device comprising a. card, a sheath of transparent sheet Celluloid enclosing a margin of said card, and a signal enclosing said sheath, the end portions of the signal being folded over the free margins of said ,sheath and 'a portion ofsaid signal interlockingwith the sheath.

8.*An .index device comprising a card, a

sheath of transparent sheet Celluloid enclosing a margin of said card, said sheath having an integral, inturned lip on a free margin thereof, and a signal of sheet material enclosing said sheath and in interlocking engagement with said lip.

9. An index device comprising a card, a sheath-of transparent sheet celluloidenc'losing a margin of said card, said sheath having an integral, inturned lip on a free margin thereof, and a signal of sheet material enclosing said sheath and in interlocking engagement with said lip, the opposite end portion of .said signal being folded over the opposite free margin of said sheath.

10. An index device comprising signal consisting of a 'strip' of transparent s eet cel-v luloid folded upon itself to enclose a margin of strip being folded inwardly to enclosethe opposite margin of the sheath.

11. An index device comprising a siglnal for engaging a sheathof transparent s eet celluloid having an'integral inturned lip on a free margin thereof, said signal consisting of a strip of sheet Celluloid folded upon itself to enclose the folded margin of the sheath, anda lip on one end of said strip to interengage with the lip on the sheath.

12. An index ldevice for engaging a sheath of, transparent sheet a sheath, the end portions of said comprising a sigQal i cellulo'xd having'anjntegralinturned lip on a free margin thereof, said signal consisting o f a strip of sheet VCelluloid folded upon itself lto enclose' the folded 'margin of the sheath, and a. lipfon'one end of said strip to interengage with the lip on the sheath, the opposite end of said strip being folded to engage the opposite freemargin of the sheath.

Signed by me atBoston, Massachusetts, this 12th day of November, 1924- ,JAMESA SPRENGER. 

